Cripps Mission – Free Modern History Notes for UPSC 2025

The Cripps Mission of 1942 stands as a pivotal moment in India’s struggle for independence from British rule. Proposed against the backdrop of World War II, the mission aimed to address Indian demands for self-governance while securing Indian support for the war effort. Aspirants preparing for the UPSC examination must delve into the intricacies of this mission to comprehend its significance in shaping India’s political landscape. Sir Stafford Cripps, a prominent British politician, arrived in India in March 1942 with a proposal that promised Dominion status for India after the war, along with the right to secede from the British Commonwealth. However, the conditions laid down in the mission, including the retention of defense and communication powers by the British, and the option for provinces to opt out of the proposed Indian Union, were met with skepticism and opposition from Indian leaders.

As the Japanese threat loomed larger, especially along India’s eastern borders, and with India’s crucial support needed for Britain’s war efforts, tensions escalated. When World War II began in 1939, India was automatically included as part of the British Empire without consulting Indian leaders, sparking widespread protests, particularly from the Congress party. In response, Congress leaders resigned from their positions, an event known as “Deliverance Day,” which was celebrated by the Muslim League.

Facing pressure from the US and other allied forces over its imperial policies, Britain dispatched Cripps to India, marking the beginning of the Cripps Mission.

Why Cripps Mission?

During World War II, the British Empire faced big problems in South-East Asia as Japan made significant advances. With Burma falling and Japanese forces moving closer to India, there was a real threat to British territories, including India.
Allied powers like the United States, Soviet Union, and China, who were Britain’s friends in the war, pushed Britain to get India’s help. They believed India’s support was vital to push back against the Japanese and strengthen the overall war strategy in the region.
Realizing they needed Indian leaders and people on their side, the British government tried to get their support. They even promised India full independence after the war as part of a plan called the Cripps Mission. The idea was to find a way for India to govern itself, which could make Indians more willing to help in the war. But there were disagreements about how and when this independence would happen, so Indian leaders didn’t agree to it.

Proposal of Cripps Mission

The Cripps Mission suggested creating an Indian union with Dominion status within the British Commonwealth. This would give India a good amount of self-rule while still being part of the Commonwealth.
India would have the freedom to decide its relationships with the Commonwealth and other international groups like the United Nations.
The defense part of the Indian Union would stay under British control, keeping Britain in charge of national security.
The role of the Governor-General, representing the British Crown, would remain, keeping the symbolic authority of the British monarchy in India.
A group called a constituent assembly would be set up to write a new constitution for India. Some members would be chosen by provincial assemblies, and some would be picked by the Princes.
The British government said they’d accept the new constitution, but they had two conditions: any province that didn’t want to join the Indian Union could make its own constitution and form its own union, and there had to be negotiations between the new constitution-making group and the British government to work out how power would be transferred and to protect the rights of different groups in India.
But the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League didn’t like the idea. They were worried about the defense part and felt that the proposal didn’t offer enough for full independence. Because of this, the Cripps Mission didn’t achieve its goal of getting Indian support for the war through this plan.

Importance

The Cripps Mission was a step forward from the August Offer because it said that Indians would handle making the constitution. This was important because it met Indian demands for more control over the process.
It laid out a clear plan for making a group called a constituent assembly that would write India’s new constitution. This was a big move towards India governing itself and had a big impact on what the country would become.
The part of the Cripps Mission that said any province could make its own constitution set the stage for India possibly splitting into India and Pakistan later on.
The mission recognized that once India was free, it could choose to leave the British Commonwealth, giving India the power to decide its own international relationships.
During the time while they were figuring everything out, the Cripps Mission let Indians have more say in running things, moving towards a fairer way of governing.
Even though the Cripps Mission had some important points, major Indian political parties like the Congress and Muslim League didn’t agree with some parts, especially about defense, and felt it didn’t offer enough for full independence. Because of this, it couldn’t be put into action, leaving India’s future uncertain during World War II. But it’s still an important part of India’s journey towards independence and self-rule.

Failure of Cripps Mission

The ideas from the Cripps Mission didn’t make Indian nationalists happy because they wanted full freedom from British rule. Indian leaders didn’t like the proposals either, including groups like the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League.
Different groups in India didn’t agree with some parts of the proposals. Some, like the Hindu Mahasabha and Liberals, didn’t like the idea that states could break away. Others, like the Depressed Classes, were worried about being a minority.
Key British leaders, like Viceroy Linlithgow, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Leo Amery, didn’t really support the Cripps Mission.
The proposals weren’t clear about what they meant and how things would work, which made everyone involved unsure and distrustful.
There was confusion about who had the final say and who would make sure the agreement happened smoothly.
Cripps didn’t want to change his ideas, which made things even more stuck.
Mahatma Gandhi said the proposals were like a promise for later, but didn’t help with what people needed right away.
Because of all these problems, the Cripps Mission couldn’t get India’s help in the war or sort out what would happen to India politically. This made India’s path to independence even more uncertain and delayed.

Why Cripps Mission was rejected?

The Indian National Congress (INC) wanted full freedom from British rule, but the Cripps Mission only offered Dominion status, which wasn’t enough for them.
Instead of letting princely states choose their representatives, the proposal said they’d be picked by someone else, which didn’t seem fair or democratic.
They didn’t like the idea of provinces being able to break away from India because they wanted India to stay united.
The proposals didn’t say when India would get full control, and the British Governor-General would still have a lot of power, which worried the INC.
They also didn’t like that Britain would still control defense decisions. They wanted more say in defense to make sure India would be safe and independent.
The INC thought the Governor-General having so much power would stop India from being fully in charge. They wanted the Governor-General to only do what the Indian government said.
Overall, the INC said no to the Cripps Mission because they wanted complete freedom, they were worried about India staying together, and they wanted more control right away in how India was run and protected. Because the mission didn’t fix these things, the INC and other Indian parties said no to it.

After the Cripps Mission failed, Indians were angry and fed up. They felt that living under British rule was unbearable, even though they sympathized with the victims of the war and the fight against Fascism. The mission didn’t meet the demands of Indian nationalists, and when both the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League said no to it, people felt even more frustrated and eager for freedom. So, under Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership, the Indian National Congress started the Quit India Movement in August 1942. This was a big step in India’s fight for independence. The movement demanded that the British leave India and give power to the Indian people. It was a strong statement of Indian pride and a final push against imperialism.

The British government reacted strongly to the Quit India Movement, arresting many people and trying to stop it. But the movement showed how united and determined Indians were to be free. It played a big part in deciding how India would become independent in 1947. Even though the Cripps Mission failed, it made Indians more determined to break free from British rule. The Quit India Movement that followed is a symbol of Indian bravery and their strong desire for self-rule. It’s an important part of India’s history, showing the struggles and sacrifices made to become a free and independent country.